Pa. table games revenue up sharply over last year

HARRISBURG, Pa.—Gross revenue from table games at Pennsylvania casinos rose 12 percent last month compared with January 2012, the state's gambling regulators said Friday.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced that table games revenue at the 11 casinos exceeded $59 million in January and generated tax revenue of nearly $9 million.

The number of tables was also up to 1,026, an increase from 962 a year ago.

The Sands casino in Bethlehem led the state, reporting nearly $14 million in table games revenue last month. The next highest were Parx in Bensalem, $10 million; SugarHouse in Philadelphia, $7 million; and Rivers in Pittsburgh, $6 million.

Overall casino revenue, when slot machines were factored in, was almost $248 million in Pennsylvania last month. That represents a year-over-year increase of just below 2 percent.

The state's casinos brought in more than $3.1 billion last year, thanks in part to $687 million in table games proceeds. The industry brought the state $1.4 billion in tax revenue.